Consider the Cupcake

By Bev Bennett

For some brides, fanciful frosted cupcakes have become a fashionable alternative to traditional wedding cake.

Cupcakes are the fashionable alternative to wedding cakes. And they're not just for the children on your guest list.

"People say they don't eat desserts, but they inhale cupcakes," says Joyce Maynor of Fantasy Frostings in Whittier, Calif.

"I baked 400 cupcakes for one wedding, and before I set up the display, by a wire frame. Maynor likes to layer cupcakes on tiered stands.

Garza wraps boards and cheap terra cotta pots in silver paper. Then she balances the boards on the pots in layers. Each board features a different cupcake intertwined with fresh flowers.

Photo credits: Wedding bouquet cupcake from New York's Cupcake Café

Wedding guests like cupcakes because they get to have an individual cake, says Ann Warren, co-owner of the Cupcake Café in New York, one of the celebrated places for wedding cupcakes.

Warren's clients tell her they also appreciate the higher ratio of frosting to cake that a cupcake delivers.

Cupcakes also provide less obvious, but persuasive advantages for a wedding budget, say caterers.

An eye-catching design of stacked cupcakes and flowers doubles as a centerpiece. "For one wedding, I made a cupcake arrangement for each table of 10, saving the bride $50 per table," says Kim Garza, owner of Kim's Kitchen in Evanston, Ill.

Most wedding venues charge $4 to $6 per slice for cutting a cake you bring in. With cupcakes you avoid the fee.

Couples whose tastes differ don't have to compromise, or buy two separate cakes. Having several cupcake varieties suits everyone's preferences.

Serving cupcakes instead of a wedding cake also has benefits for caterers. "Cupcakes are definitely easier to transport and easier to serve," says Garza. Many caterers pack the cupcakes and frosting separately and decorate on site. As for serving, all a caterer has to do is get out of the way of the guests.

If you clamor for cupcakes, let the following suggestions guide you.

• Ask how many different flavors you're entitled to for a given fee. Some caterers charge more for a greater selection. Maynor's prices start at $2.50 each. She usually includes four or five cupcakes, such as chocolate, vanilla, banana, carrot and spice. German chocolate cupcakes and red velvet (a Southern recipe) are two of her specialties.
• Don't underestimate how many cupcakes people will eat. Garza recommends two cupcakes per serving plus a chocolate tart or other dessert; Maynor urges couples to order three cupcakes per guest. Neither has leftovers.
• Look at the finished display to see it suits you. Typically, cupcakes are stacked in a tower or a tree held